NatChat April 2017

Your quarterly newsletter for
Chester

2

* Editor’s Letter *
Happy Easter!
And while we’re on the subject of fertility, I
want to say a few words about birth... (Slick!)
Birth in the modern day is as varied and complex
as we are. Short of a planned C-Section,
very few people get the birth they had hoped
for and that can feel disappointing.
Birth can be beautiful and empowering,
long and exhausting, and anywhere in between.
In an increasingly medicalised process,
we are overwhelmingly in need of positive,
open attitudes.
It might not have been perfect, you might
not have been able to have the water birth you
wanted, or maybe you ended up having interventions,
but it is yours and your baby’s and it
is unique.
I encourage you all to embrace and take
ownership your births. Tell your story. Find
the joy and uniqueness in it.
Be proud of yourself.
Lucy.
3

* In This Edition *
Page 6—Welcome to the Team
Page 10—Let’s Introduce...
Page 14—Nearly New Sale
Page 15—Bumps and Babies
Page 16—Baby First Aid
Page 18—Feature Story
Page 26—Crafty Crafts
Page 27—Family Dinner Recipe
Page 31—Birth Story
Page 34—Craft Events
Page 37—Get In Touch
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5

* Welcome to the Team *
Jen Whittle – Mum to a toddler and very
excited to be joint branch co-ordinator with
Ffion Dempster-Jones.
Ffion Dempster-Jones – Mum of 2 year old
girl and looking forward to being joint branch
co-ordinator with Jen Whittle
Liza Ebeck – Works part time as a veterinary
nurse, adjudicates between her two daughters
age 6 and 2, and enjoys reading the 2 pages of
her book before falling asleep. She is also our
First Aid Coordinator.
Antonia Jones – Antonia is excited to be starting
the Lone Patent Group and hopes to find &
provide support to Lone Parent Families.
Lisa Palfreman – A face most of you will
know already! Kiwi mum to two cheeky
tearaways and professional chatterbox is now
taking up PSC Link role and concentrating on
her new Uni course done with the NCT.
6

Vicky Brand – Mum to a lovely two year old
and recently started my own business for
toddlers. NCT were a great support to me in
the early days and I look forward to helping
keep the branch active.
Charlotte Curtis – Lucky Mum of three
energetic rascals taking on the joint
membership coordinator role.
Daniela Ida ZANDONÀ – Mom, of Italian
and Spanish origin, to little Clara. Recently
moved to the UK and fallen in love with
Chester. I enjoy reading and watching a good
series but I've discovered sleeping is more
valuable! I look forward to volunteering.
Heather Colville – Studying hard and mum to a
toddler. Excited to be volunteering with NCT.
Lynne O'Neill – Ex-London accountant, now a
New to Chester mum taking on the Treasurer
role.
Lucy McClean – Slightly hippy mum to an
18 month old preemie. In addition to the
newsletter editor role, I also co-host bumps
and babies, bake for the cake stands and
generate fun ideas to try!
7

* The Regional Team *
Hi, I'm Helen.
I'm the newsletter reader for the North West NCT Regional
Team. I have 3 kids, two daughters in high school and a son at
primary school. I've volunteered locally for NCT since
moving to Cheshire in 2004. I was Branch Coordinator of
Mid-Cheshire branch for 7 years before moving to the
regional team.
The regional team consists of Cath Auty - Regional
Coordinator, Nikki Leech and Helen Barrance - Area Links,
Kate Hodgkiss - Regional Fundraising Support and Helen
Lilley - Newsletter Reader.
The regional team work with branches to support them and
celebrate their successes. The team are the people who liaise
between branches and UK Office. We try to help branches
resolve any issues they have, and the newsletter reader
proofreads all the newsletters from all over the North West.
All of us have volunteered at Branch level, so we understand
the issues branches can face. We also have UKO staff support
from our Regional Teams Facilitator, Catherine Bartlett.
8

ADVERT
Contact Rachel to join the fun in our multi-award
winning, friendly classes - now in their tenth year in
Chester and Wirral.
Call Rachel Nightingale on 01244 372970 or visit 9
www.singandsign.co.uk

* Let’s Introduce... *
Liza Ebeck!
Give us a bit of background
on yourself.
I am a 38 year old mum of
two living in Chester with my
partner. I work as a veterinary
nurse part time whilst I hold
the rest of my world together
full time.
What drew you to the NCT
in the first place?
The NCT was recommended
to me as a good place for
antenatal classes when I was
expecting my first baby. I
booked on the course and
have been involved in some
way ever since!
What made you decide to
become a volunteer?
I got more heavily
involved with the NCT
as a volunteer when I
attended a Nearly New
Sale. I love a good
bargain and like to
pass on things to
others as well so the
Nearly New Sale is an
amazing way to do this
locally.
What has been your
experience of
volunteering?
My volunteering
experience has been,
all-in-all, a great one. I
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have made some fab new
friends (not coming from the
area, I didn’t have long
standing friends around me)
and I really enjoy the events
and meetings, to chat and
bring ideas about where the
branch is going and how we
can improve it.
What would you say to
someone thinking of
volunteering?
Anyone thinking of
volunteering should just go
for it and get in touch!
Everyone is welcome, the
more the merrier. You can do
as much or as little as you like
and make friends doing it!
What is the one thing you
want people to know about
the NCT?
One thing for people to know
about the NCT is that it
exists! So many people seem
to never know we are here
and that we're just itching to
help families adjust to the
amazing journey of having
kids!
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12

Story Tots
Story Tots is an
exciting baby and
toddler class using
books, bubbles and
lots and lots of music!
Tuesdays and Thursdays
at The Cheshire Cat:
Toddlers @ 10am
Babies @11am
£6 a session pay as
you go or £32 for a
block of 6 sessions
Book a FREE taster session now:
@storytotschester
storytots@outlook.com
13

* Nearly New Sale Success *
We are so pleased to say that
our last Nearly New Sale on
the 25th March 2017 was a
very successful one! How
successful? Well…
We had:
· 30% more buyers;
· A 30% increase in sales
and;
· 33% more sellers.
We are so pleased with the
result of all the hard work of
our NNS team over the past
two months!
We are now looking at a little
break from Nearly New Sales
over the summer (I know, I’m
sad, too) and the next one will
pop up around October.
Keep up to the minute
on Facebook and of course on
this humble newsletter!
Thank you, everyone
who volunteered with us,
for your time, support
and commitment. You
have helped make this
sale the success that it
was!
14

* Bumps and Babies Success *
NCT Chester has had a slow
few years but our incredibly
successful bumps and babies
group has been churning out
friends, support and unity.
I went to my first
Bumps and Babies
group when my son
was just 7 weeks
old and before his
due date had even
arrived!
I was shy. I sat in
the corner, at a single
table with him
asleep in a sling
and didn’t make
eye contact.
‘Come sit with
us.’ I can’t remember
who said it but
it was welcoming.
They asked questions,
introduced
themselves, had a
laugh. I was instantly
at home.
We still regularly
meet up with four
of the mums and
babies I met there
and we bump into
ten or so others at
groups and meets
and play dates.
It has really given
us the confidence
to go to new things
knowing someone
else will be there.
And knowing
Edgar will grow up
with such a lovely
group of friends is
a real weight off.
And it’s not just my experience that has been
amazing. Groups of mums and dads meet regularly
with their two and three year olds, all now too old for
bumps and babies but still getting together and
supporting each other.
We are proud to be the start of some amazing
friendships and happy, confident parents.
15

In Partnership
* Baby First Aid *
Baby first aid is run by the Red
Cross and coordinated by the lovely
Liza Ebeck. Classes are on a first
come first served basis and respond
to demand so you should never have
to wait long for a class.
These classes are brilliant
because, if you’ve ever looked
into first aid courses you’ll still
be sweating from it. First aid
training is expensive. And nobody
should have to shell out
£100 plus to gain lifesaving
information.
Our deal with the Red Cross
means you pay £25 a head,
£45 for a couple, or £10 a head
for low income families. It’s a
priceless investment because
we’ve all had those panic
moments where you’re thinking
those first aid skills you
got back in school are pretty
useless on a baby right now.
So if you’ve been frantically
nodding while reading this, or
even if you’re just mildly
interested, it’s worth giving
some thought.
For more information, or to
sign up for a class, e-mail Liza
on:
firstaid.chester@nct.org.uk
and breathe easy.
What You Will
Learn:
· How to respond
to bangs and
falls
· CPR to save a
choking baby
or child
· The child and
baby recovery
positions
· Advice on
dealing with
burns
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17

* Dealing with Obstetric Cholestasis *
By Jen Whittle
The Beginning
In November 2014, I was
counting down the final
weeks of my pregnancy,
wishing Christmas would be
over so that my due date at
the end of January would finally
be here! The pram had
arrived, the nursery redecorated,
and we had just
attended our first NCT antenatal
class.
I had a pretty average
low risk first time pregnancy,
and we were just excited to
welcome our new baby into
the world.
I have suffered with
eczema on and off for
years, so initially
thought nothing of
the itching on my
arms and tummy. I
hadn't heard of Obstetric
Cholestasis (or
intrahepatic cholestasis
of pregnancy –
ICP as it is now more
commonly known) at
this point. The itching
worsened over a
couple of days, and
when it spread to my hands
too, I had a vague recollection
that itchy hands or feet were
something to mention to the
midwife.
I called on my lunchbreak
(after a quick consultation
with Dr Google!) and
was a bit surprised that my
midwife wanted to see me
straight away. I left work telling
them that I would be back
later that afternoon – I didn't
realise at that point that it
would be my last working day
until 2016!
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.
The Diagnosis
I was lucky enough to have a
wonderful and very reassuring
midwife, who took my bloods
and explained a little about
cholestasis, the condition it
was she suspected I may have.
If, like me back then,
you haven't heard of ICP, it is
a potentially serious liver disorder
in which bile acids build
up in the blood, causing the
itching, and possible harm to
your baby. It affects around 1
in 140 pregnant women in the
UK.
Although I was reassured
that ICP is quite uncommon
and I may well just have
bog standard pregnancy itching,
I was beginning to feel a
bit concerned. On measuring
my bump a little on the small
side, I was advised that a trip
to the hospital for monitoring
would be advisable
to check on baby
and give me some
reassurance.
I actually ended up
taking my own
blood sample with
me to the hospital
so it would be tested
more quickly!
My blood tests confirmed
the suspicion that I
was suffering with ICP, and
after a few unconnected concerns
about baby's heart from
the monitoring, I was admitted
for my first ever hospital
stay. It was definitely an interesting
phone call to work to
explain where I was!
I had extra monitoring
and scans of both baby and
my liver, and started treatment
in the form of tablets to
hopefully improve my liver
function. Luckily the treatment
started to work and I
managed to get myself discharged
in time to get to my
second antenatal class.
Preparing for Birth
My diagnosis meant that my
previously straightforward
pregnancy was now seen as
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high risk and I would be consultant
led for the rest of my
care.
Weekly blood tests
and monitoring were needed
to keep an eye on the condition
and I was also told that I
would most likely need to
have an early induction at 37
or 38 weeks. Needless to say I
now had to start planning for
a kind of birth I really hadn't
been expecting to have.
Lynne, my NCT antenatal
teacher was great, and
spent an extra part of our session
talking more about induction
generally and really
helped me feel more comfortable
about it and about the
decisions I may want to make
regarding my care before the
induction.
My midwife was incredible
too - and very honest
about what I should expect
from an early induction.
I won't lie, in many
ways, the last few weeks of
my pregnancy were a bit
scary. The worry that my
body could be harming my
unborn baby was really upsetting,
and the constant blood
tests left my arms with
painful bruises. I even
spent Boxing Day
2014 in Wrexham
Hospital having my
weekly checks.
I was admitted for my
induction at 38 weeks,
and although my birth
experience is unlikely
to be the first choice
of most pregnant
women, I can honestly
say that I had a really
positive delivery,
mainly due to the excellent
advice and care
I had received beforehand
and then during
my labour.
20

The Birth
Despite being admitted on
Friday at 6am, we wouldn't
actually start active labour
until Monday!
As I had been warned,
an early induction of a first
pregnancy can be a bit slow to
get going, so most of my Saturday
and Sunday was spent
waiting for something to happen.
As it also coincided with
an incredibly busy weekend
for deliveries, I was finally
taken to have my waters broken
on Monday morning.
As luck would have it,
my midwife for delivery was
one of my community midwife
team who I had already
met, and she was so calm and
reassuring that despite a frustrating
weekend (and thinking
I may have to have a C-
section after all) I finally felt
that I could do this.
Waters broken and
drip in were followed by a pre
-planned and incredibly effective
epidural. The contractions
from the drip increased in intensity
so rapidly, I'm really
glad I had been warned to ask
for an epidural early. I wasn't
expecting it to be quite so effective
though – I had to be
turned in bed as my legs were
so heavy, whereas most women
are still able to move
around pretty normally!
I spent most of my day
watching bad TV and napping
(yes really!), and watching
my other half demolish the
carefully packed bag of
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snacks that I wasn't allowed to
eat. It was a bizarrely calm
day after the stresses of the
previous few weeks, and baby
had constant monitoring
which for me was really reassuring.
After a long day of
waiting we had a pretty quick
second stage, and welcomed
our son, Zachary, into the
world just before 10.30pm.
At 6lb 6 and a half ounces he
was healthy and bigger than I
had been warned to expect
too, which was a nice surprise.
Our beautiful son is
now a very happy (and very
active!) 2 year old, whose
main loves in life are trains,
slides and eating!
After the Birth
We spent a few days in hospital
after he was born as he
was a little jaundiced, as
many newborn babies are, and
we had some difficulty getting
feeding established.
The postnatal support I
received both on the ward and
from my community midwife
team was amazing, and I can
definitely say that without
their help and encouragement
our breastfeeding journey
would have ended a lot sooner
than the 14months we eventually
got to.
22

Afterthoughts
I now know that it is so important during pregnancy to be
aware of the symptoms that can be indicators of something
more serious. Not everyone with ICP experiences the itching
on their hands and feet, but just more generalised itching. If in
doubt, it is always best to get it checked out, just for reassurance.
As I have had ICP once, there is a 70% chance I would
suffer in any future pregnancies, too. I would definitely feel
much more confident about dealing with the condition again
as I would know much more of what to expect.
My pregnancy and birth didn’t turn out exactly the
way I had hoped and planned, but let's face it, who's
does?
For more Information about Obstetric Cholestasis
visit: www.britishlivertrust.org.uk
23

NCT is here to support parents. We give them accurate,
impartial information so that they can decide what’s best
for their family, and we introduce them to a network of local
parents to gain practical and emotional support. We are
the UK’s largest parenting charity, and campaign as the
voice for parents on the issues they care about.
What Does NCT Mean
To Me?
NCT has been enormously
important to
me since becoming
a mum, especially
as I had few friends
in my local area, let
alone ones with
small kids!
-Jo, Facebook
Your
membership
is golden
NCT was/is a valuable
resource for
my husband and I
to meet new parents
that were
about to begin the
journey of childbirth
together.
-Morgan, Facebook
For just £48 a year you
can become part of NCT
members club where you
can save and get
discounts on eating out,
going to the cinema and
cashback on groceries,
gardening supplies and
fashion spends as well as
a tonne of other benefits
within NCT.
In turn, your money
allows us to invest in
events, services and
support for not only you
but others, too.
Keep Calm and Join NCT!
24

ADVERT
25

* Crafty Crafts *
Do The Dough Dough Dance
Ingredients
· 1 Cup Plain Flour
· 1 Cup Salt
· 1 Cup Water
· 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
· 1/2 Tbsp Cream of Tartar
(for elasticity)
· Food Colouring
(plain coloured is also fine, or
you can add glitter!)
Method
1. Mix dry ingredients together.
2. Mix the food colouring into the
water.
3. Tip everything into a saucepan,
stir together and heat on high
for a few minutes.
4. When the dough is formed and
clumping together turn it onto a
counter and knead for a minute.
5. Play!
Once made, your
playdough should
keep well for a
month or so in an
airtight container.
26

* Family Dinner Recipe *
Yogurt Pizza Time!
Ingredients
· 250g Yogurt
(I think full-fat greek yogurt is
best but they all work fine)
· 250g Self Raising Flour
(I have used rye flour and gluten
free flour, too)
· Tomato Puree
· Cheese
· Toppings of Choice
· More Flour (for rolling)
Method
1. Mix the yogurt and flour
together, turn onto a floured
surface and roll out flat (don’t
worry about the shape!)
2. Layer with tomato puree and
cheese then top with any
ingredients you like. (we like
pepperoni, onion and spinach)
3. Cook on the top shelf at
180/200 degrees for 10-15
minutes. (Keep an eye on it!)
I promise you this pizza dough tastes like pizza, feels like
pizza, smells like pizza and it costs less than 50p to make.
Seriously good value and a solid favourite in our household!
27

28

29

* Birth Story *
By Naomi Leadbetter
The Beginning
Established Labour
I had pretty terrible
morning sickness
throughout my pregnancy
and labour was no
different. I went into
hospital after my waters
broke with my head in a
plastic bowl!
The midwives
hooked me straight up to
anti-emetics and then
examined me. I was
already 4cm so I was
taken straight to a labour
suite.
I was put onto a
monitor and told that
baby's heart rate was
dipping with every
contraction. They asked if
they could put a monitor
onto the top of baby's
head. This ruled out a
water birth for me but I
knew it was for the best.
I coped with gas and air
for the first couple of
hours then the pain
became more intense so I
was given some
diamorphine.
Both baby and I
had been monitored
closely for the 5 hours I
had been in and I was
dilating reasonably
quickly. However, as I
got to 10cm baby's heart
rate dipped and didn't
come back up.
The emergency
buttons were pressed and
a whole team poured into
my room. They checked
and rechecked baby's
heart rate, moved me into
different positions and
consulted with lots of
different people.
After much
discussion I was taken for
30

an emergency caesarean
section and my husband
was whisked away to
change into scrubs.
While all the
necessary preparations
when taking place I
began to feel the need to
push. I was re-examined
and baby's head was
crowning so the decision
was made to give me an
episiotomy and use
ventouse to help baby
out.
After Birth
My beautiful daughter
Florence, was born. She
was handed straight to
me. We had delayed cord
clamping as requested
and then I was sewn up
quickly by one of the
team.
My husband and I
then got to enjoy lots of
wonderful, peaceful skin
to skin time with her.
After a while the
lead midwife came into to
us and talk through all the
decisions that had been
made and to make sure
we understood the need
for intervention.
She also gave us
the opportunity to ask any
questions.
Afterthoughts
Although my daughter’s
birth was not what I had
on my birth plan and it
was more stressful than I
had hoped, I felt very
well looked after. At every
step we were talked to.
We had wonderful
care from a great many
people and were given
the chance to talk it
though after the fact so
we understood everything.
I cannot thank the
Countess of Chester staff
enough for how we were
all looked after.
31

* Breastfeeding Friendly *
* Chester *
What is Breastfeeding
Friendly Chester?
The Breastfeeding Friendly
Chester Scheme was launched
in 2011 by a group of friends
who wanted to promote
Chester as a breastfeeding
friendly city - by pinpointing
cafes, restaurants and shops
where breastfeeding mums
would be welcomed by highlighting
what facilities are
available. The scheme is endorsed
by NCT who provide
support to the volunteers and
fund the stickers for businesses
to display. If you see a
sticker then you know that the
business has signed up to the
scheme and have educated
their staff about how to make
a breastfeeding mum feel
welcome.
We are part of a
network of breastfeeding
support available for mums in
the area, including the Bosom
Buddy Breastfeeding Support
Chester and Ellesmere Port
Facebook page (run by peer
supporters) and breastfeeding
groups facilitated by the
midwifery and health visiting
service. You will also see
Bosom Buddy peer supporters
on both the hospital wards
and at breastfeeding support
groups in the community.
Why Do We Need It?
It can be quite daunting
breastfeeding in public,
especially for the first
time. We wanted to provide a
resource for mums so they
could feel more confident,
knowing that there was somewhere
breastfeeding friendly
that they could take a 'pit
stop' (without necessarily
having to buy anything!). I
have known several mums
who have resorted to breastfeeding
in a toilet which isn't
pleasant for mum or baby.
After all, would you eat your
lunch in the toilet?!
Our guide also
includes a list of facilities
available for bottle feeding
mums and baby changing
facilities.
32

What is the Law on Public
Breastfeeding?
The Equality Act 2010 says
that it is discrimination to
treat a women unfavourably
because she is breastfeeding.
There is no age restriction,
the law protects you for as
long as you wish to feed
your baby. You are protected
in shops, public
places such as parks,
sports facilities, public
buildings and when using
public transport.
You are also protected
in restaurants, cafes,
hotels, hospitals, theatres,
cinemas and petrol
stations.
What Are Breastfeeding
Friendly Chester Doing
Now?
After a bit of a hiatus over the
last year, a new group of
mums (there's 8 of us, all on
maternity leave) have volunteered
to help reinvigorate the
scheme. Laura Evans
(Community Infant Feeding
Coordinator for Cheshire and
Wirral Partnership NHS
Foundation Trust) is also
working on the scheme.
Over the last couple of
months we have been
refreshing our information -
visiting current members and
approaching potential new
ones. We welcome businesses
to contact us if they would
like to sign up to the Breastfeeding
Friendly Chester
scheme. We are planning
some exciting competitions
and giveaways on our Facebook
page and will highlight
businesses who 'go the extra
mile.'
https://
www.nct.org.uk/
branches/chester/
breastfeedingfriendly
33

* Easter Craft Day *
Our Easter craft day on the 1st April was fantastic! The Eggs
and baskets that everyone decorated were fun and creative,
the little kids enjoyed playing in our toy area. Mums and dads
enjoyed a brew and everyone enjoyed the cake!
The venue, Vicar’s Cross Scout Hut, was a lovely big, clean
space to play, craft and chat.
Thank you so much to everyone who volunteered to help make
the day a special one, and thank you everyone who came and
decorated an object!
34

* Summer Solstice Craft *
We invite you to join us for a day of sunshine, paint, glitter
and summer spirit!
A choice of window hangings to decorate, tea, coffee, juice
and a little cake stand. With the usual play area for the very
little ones and colouring for the bigger ones.
Look out for updates on our Facebook page Chester NCT.
Summer Sun and Lots of Fun!
35

36

* Get In Touch! *
· Are you interested in writing for NCT Chester
Newsletter?
· Do you want to share your birth announcement,
personal journey or breastfeeding journey?
· Do you want to make people aware of a particular
issue or health concern in pregnancy or children
up to two years old?
· Do you have thoughts or comments on todays
parenting issues and would like to share it?
· Are you are a specialist and have insight into an
aspect of pregnancy, birth or early parenting?
· Do you want to advertise your amazing new baby
or toddler classes?
· Do you want to offer a discount on new parent
essentials to readers of Chester NCT Newsletter?
We would love to hear from you!
Newsletter.Chester@nct.org.uk
37

* Contacts *
General Enquiries: Chester@nct.org.uk
Co-Coordinators: Coordinator.Chester@nct.org.uk
Newsletter Editor: Newsletter.Chester@nct.org.uk
First Aid:
Firstaid.Chester@nct.org.uk
Nearly New Sale: NNS.Chester@nct.org.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NCTChester/
Twitter Tag: @ChesterNCT
NCT Helpline: 0300 330 0700
Our branch is run by volunteers. We are mostly parents with
young children working from home which means we are not
always available. Please allow a few days for us to respond to
emails.
* Disclaimer *
The information in this newsletter is for the benefit of NCT (National
Childbirth Trust) members and beneficiaries. It may be used only in connection
with NCT activities and may not be used for any commercial purposes.
The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily
those of NCT. The information contained in this newsletter should
not be reproduced without the editor's consent in writing. The appearance
of an advertisement in this newsletter does not imply endorsement of the
company or its products by NCT, nor does it constitute a recommendation.
However, it is always worth mentioning when replying to an advertisement
that you saw it in an NCT newsletter. NCT cannot be held liable for
loss, damage or injury arising out of goods sold through any advertisements
in this newsletter. Any discount offered to NCT members by any
advertisement is done so entirely at the discretion of the advertiser.
Registered Charity number (England and Wales) 801395; SC041592 (Scotland).
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